Quick-thinking Capitol cop turns wrong number into Camden drug arrest

CAMDEN — A Camden man definitely got the wrong number when he mistakenly dialed a Capitol Police officer in Augusta and attempted to arrange a drug deal, police say.

The quick-thinking officer played along with the call Friday, and as a result Camden police arrested Tyler Collins, 42, and charged him with trafficking in drugs, according to Knox County Court records.

Collins tried to call a customer to sell him Suboxone, Camden police said. Instead, he connected with Charles Ball, a Capitol Police officer who continued the telephone call without letting on that Collins had called the wrong number.

Ball then alerted Camden police to the proposed deal. The Camden officers were in place and stopped Collins and Katarina Campbell at about 9:30 p.m. Friday on Elm Street in Camden.

Collins was taken to the Knox County Jail in Rockland and made his initial appearance in court Monday. Judge Barbara Raimondi set bail at $1,000 cash. At Collins’ request, Raimondi agreed to allow him to make bail if he could put up $10,000 in property as surety.

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